Milo Yiannopoulos is the focus of a Buzzfeed expose on how the alt-right became part of the American mainstream.

Milo Yiannopoulos is the focus of a Buzzfeed expose on how the alt-right became part of the American mainstream.

Photo: Drew Angerer, Getty Images

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Learn more about the Alt-Right up ahead.

Learn more about the Alt-Right up ahead.

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Slightly amorphous and definitely controversial, the "alt-right" has become the newest political hot button in Donald Trump's run for the White House.

But, how did it start and what does it mean? Here's a few things to know about the alt-right.

EXPLAINER: What is the "alt right?"

The alt-right, a collection of hard line conservatives, white supremacists, anti-immigrationists and others, have become a political hot button in Donald Trump's presidential run. Keep clicking to see the 15 things you need know about this movement as it takes center stage during the presidential race.

The alternative right is relatively new to the American political scene. The Southern Poverty Law Center pegs the start of the alt-right to 2008, when a white nationalist named Richard Bertram Spencer coined the term to describe a loose confederation of ideologies and ideas.

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's "America first" campaign pitch has drawn support from the alt-right, who like his pledges to deport the estimated 11 million people living in the country illegally and to temporarily bar foreign Muslims from the U.S. Trump also has retweeted a number of messages from Twitter users with questionable profiles, including one with the handle @WhiteGenocideTM.

Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton says voters need to be concerned about Donald Trump's brand of "alt-right" conservatism, and that his appeal to the fringe says all people need to know about the GOP nominee.

A key piece of the alt-right philosophy is an opposition to immigration. Alt-right backers have not only opposed illegal immigration, but legal border crossings as well.

Philosophy

A key piece of the alt-right philosophy is an opposition to immigration. Alt-right backers have not only opposed illegal immigration, but legal border crossings as well.

Photo: Johnny Hanson, Chronicle

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Followers

The alt-right movement also has some ties to white supremacists, anti-Semitic groups and neo-Nazis, who appear drawn to the anti-political correctness and anti-immigration strains in the movement.

Followers

The alt-right movement also has some ties to white supremacists, anti-Semitic groups and neo-Nazis, who appear drawn to the anti-political correctness and anti-immigration strains in the movement.

Photo: Richard Vogel, Associated Press

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Forerunners

Paleoconservatives, a largely isolationist, anti-immigration group led by people such as Pat Buchanan, are the closest ideological cousins to the current alt-right. Paleoconservatives generally found traditional Republicans to be lacking in how conservative they were.

Some of the thinking on the alt-right is traced to the Libertarian philosophies pushed by former U.S. Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas. Paul is a long-standing critic of federal monetary policy as well as the country's military posture.

Other concepts behind the alt-right philosophy have also been traced to former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke. Duke has long pushed the concept of "white rights" and "European-Americans" standing up for their heritage. Both are points consistently made by the alt-right. Duke, a former state lawmaker in Louisiana, in a speech Wednesday noted that Trump speaks like an alt-right adherent. Duke is now running for U.S. Senate in Louisiana and causing Trump heartburn by publicly supporting his campaign. Trump initially said he didn't know enough about Duke to disavow him, a point Democrats have been making in ads every since.

Alt-righters tend to reject the current crop of politicians, particularly those who have held office, such as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky., center, and others such as, from left, Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., and Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn of Texas.

The website 4chan gave the alt-right the first really big break when it served as a channel for adherents to discuss ideas, plot protests and generally have a place to gather.

Going Online

The website 4chan gave the alt-right the first really big break when it served as a channel for adherents to discuss ideas, plot protests and generally have a place to gather.

Photo: Business Insider

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Spreading the Word

Many on the alt-right use social media platforms such as Reddit and Twitter to promote their ideas and exchange thoughts with other alt-right adherents.

Alt-right adherents have organized online campaigns around hashtags such as #WhiteGenocide, a reference to the belief that white people are being subject to an orchestrated eradication campaign and #ISaluteWhitePeople.

Steve Bannon, who runs Breitbart.com, recently joined Trump's campaign as chairman. Last month, Bannon told Mother Jones magazine that Breitbart was "the platform for the alt-right" but he insisted the movement wasn't racist even if it has attracted some people who are.

Traditional Republicans and conservatives disavow some of what is seen as racism and anti-Semitism on behalf of the alt-right. Conservative New York Times columnist Ross Douthat pegged the alt-right as "racist pro-Trump Twitter accounts and anti-P.C. provacoteurs."

Some long-standing backers of the GOP have defended the alt-right movement. A Fox News correspondent said the alt-right is more than a place for racists and anti-Semites. Talk show host Rush Limbaugh told a caller questioning the alt-right: "There is a thriving, youthful conservative emergence happening in this country. They may be borrowing from what's going on in Europe."

Political movements come and go in America, sometimes petering out, other times being absorbed or overtaking a mainstream party. What will happen with the alt-right once Trump's campaign is done? Trump could bring followers along if he follow through on talk of creating his own media company.

Texas bar to Buzzfeed: Take picture down of white nationalist singing in front of our logo

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A Texas bar is demanding Buzzfeed take down a photo that features the wateringhole's logo behind a white nationalist.

Milo Yiannopoulos, a former editor at large for Breitbart, is the feature of a Buzzfeed article detailing how the alt-right fixture pushed Nazis and racists into mainstream America. The article also features a photo of Yiannopoulos singing karaoke at One Nostalgia Tavern in Dallas, which has caught the ire of the karaoke bar.

"Friends of one Nostalgia! Please know that I, Amiti, am working diligently to get this vile picture of the scumbag in front of our logo and on our stage taked off of #buzzfeed's article," the bar wrote in a Thursday Facebook post. "Those of you who know me, know that I took the microphone out of his hand and promptly kicked them out of the bar. They do not represent us and should not be associated with our bar in any way. If there's any way you can assist, please do! #notwiththem #takethispicturedownnow."

Right-wing provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos clarifies his stance on a variety of issues, including his pedophilia comments, Ariana Grande, and Donald Trump. (July 21)

Media: Associated Press

According to Buzzfeed, Yiannopoulos sang "America the Beautiful" at One Nostalgia Tavern on April 2, 2016 "in front of a crowd of 'sieg heil'-ing admirers, including Richard Spencer."

One Nostalgia Tavern owner Kent Smith said he had no idea who Yiannopoulos and Spencer were. He told Chron.com that the crowd was kicked out as soon as they started raising their hands.

Amiti Perry told the Dallas Observer that Yiannopoulos, Spencer and other white nationalists came into the bar around 1 a.m. that night. She said she had no idea who they were and they were jovial.

At the end of the night, Yiannopoulos got on stage and sang a cappella.

"They started 'America the Beautiful,' and I looked at my co-workers and said, 'This is odd,'" Perry told the Dallas Observer. "Then all of the sudden, halfway through the song, I see, from behind the stage, about 15 arms go up in the salute."

That's when Perry said she lost it and kicked the group out, reportedly telling them, "You are not welcome here, at all." She said the group shouted "Trump, Trump, Trump" and "Make America White Again" before they were forced to leave.

Yiannopoulos told Buzzfeed in a statement that he didn't see his colleagues saluting due to his "severe myopia."

Perry told the Dallas Observer that the bar did not invite Yiannopoulos, Spencer and his group there.